Hydraulic fracturing is an often used technique to increase the efficiency and productivity of oil and gas wells. Overly simplified, the process involves the introduction of a water-based, oil-base or emulsion fracturing fluid into the well and the use of fluid pressure to fracture and crack the well stratum. The cracks allow the oil and gas to flow more freely from the stratum and thereby increase production rates in an efficient manner.
There are many techniques involved in well fracturing, but one technique is the use of a solid “proppant” to keep the stratum cracks open as oil, gas, water and other fluids found in well flow through those cracks. The proppant is carried into the well by the fracturing fluid which itself may contain a variety of viscosity enhancers, gelation agents, surfactants, etc. The proppants require certain properties to be useful, and there is still a need for proppants with improved properties and compositions that are more environmentally friendly. The embodiments disclosed herein satisfy these needs as well as others.